One of the revelations of the COVID-19 pandemic was that protecting the health and well-being of society depends not simply on healthcare workers and infrastructure but an array of other industries and workers producing and delivering essential goods including food.
These workers had to continue working during the pandemic exposing themselves and their families to additional risks (especially prior to introduction of vaccines). Moreover, these workers often held insecure jobs (including contractors), were relatively poorly paid, some held multiple jobs and lived in crowded settings which exacerbated the risk of infections spreading.
These vulnerabilities have been highlighted by series of studies. A scoping review by Qureshi and colleagues in the Economics and Labour Relations Review reviewed the research with regard to transport workers confirmed these issues.
In Australia special provisions were made for sickness/infection isolation leave and major transport companies introduced training and infection control measures that enabled trucks to keep moving within and between states even when borders were closed (border closure is a longstanding response to limit pandemics spreading).
The study not only confirms that some workers, especially those in warehouses, transport and logistics are at significant risk during pandemics but the need for more robust/sustainable employment and infection control practices to deal with the greater risk of future pandemics but also other infectious diseases exemplified by recent Rhinovirus outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne.
The paper can be downloaded here!
In Australia special provisions were made for sickness/infection isolation leave and major transport companies introduced training and infection control measures that enabled trucks to keep moving within and between states even when borders were closed (border closure is a longstanding response to limit pandemics spreading).
The study not only confirms that some workers, especially those in warehouses, transport and logistics are at significant risk during pandemics but the need for more robust/sustainable employment and infection control practices to deal with the greater risk of future pandemics but also other infectious diseases exemplified by recent Rhinovirus outbreaks in Sydney and Melbourne.
The paper can be downloaded here!